Our First Christmas
by TopHat
Summary: Duke and Scarlett's honeymoon was interupted by a Cobra attack. Now, close to Christmas, they are given time to finish their honeymoon and enjoy their first Christmas together as a married couple. Complete.
1. An Early Christmas Gift

Our First Christmas

Chapter 1: An Early Christmas Gift

Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe.

Duke and Scarlett collapsed on the couch in their quarters, "Who knew getting married was such work?" She exclaimed

Duke wrapped his arms around her and drew her down to lay beside him on the couch, "I think that's the last of the gifts, at least from my family."

She sighed and snuggled into her husband's shoulder, "Now we have to write thank you notes. Thank you for the lovely egg beater, we'll be sure to keep yours as it is more deluxe than the other four we were given. Who knows, if Shauna actually learns to cook it may get taken out of the box! See you again who knows when!"

He laughed, and squeezed her shoulder, "Why don't we just stick to thank you and pass all the egg beaters along. I'm sure Roadblock could use a new one."

"Ugh, who knew an egg beater could come in a 'deluxe model'. Can you imagine someone actually thinking we would use one?"

"Maybe it's someone's way of attempting to bring out your inner domestic goddess."

She punched him hard in the arm. "Ouch!" He laughed, rolling her under him and tickling her in retaliation.

"You knew I couldn't cook before you married me!" she cried out, breathless with laughter

"That doesn't mean I'm giving up hope that you'll learn!"

The overbalance and rolled onto the floor among the opened boxes, wrapping paper, and assorted packing paraphernalia. She rolled on top again and leaned down to kiss him, the mood changing from playful to heated in less than a second. After all, technically they should still be on their honeymoon.

The ringing phone broke through the haze. "Ignore it." Duke whispered against her lips

Flint's voice was heard over the answering machine, "Hey guys, stop fooling around and get down to the control room on the double. Don't make me have to come get you!"

Scarlett leaned her forehead against her husband's, "Rain check?" she asked softly, disappointed that once again they were interrupted before they could make love.

"Always." He tilted her head back so she was looking in his eyes, "I love you, Shauna Hauser."

She smiled and put her hand over her husband's, "I love you too, Conrad Hauser. And I'm glad I married you, even if we hardly have a moment to ourselves."

The phone rang a second time and she rolled her eyes, "We better go see what the big emergency is. Hopefully it'll be something small and non-time consuming."

He linked his hand with hers as they left their quarters, "They still owe us for interrupting our honeymoon."

They were both quiet on the trip to the control room, thinking back to their brief honeymoon in Texas that had been interrupted a few weeks before. Conrad's parents had started a cabin on their honeymoon, desperately wanting a place to call their own at a time when Conrad's father's military career kept him moving from base to base, a place that was theirs; waiting for the time when Conrad's father's military career would allow them to return to the land they both loved. His father had been a farmer at heart so they'd taken a small portion of his family's land and started their home. Conrad had helped his parents add to it little by little as a boy. The place held special memories for him. They'd been married at her family's church in Atlanta so she felt it was right for them to honeymoon in a place of his choosing. She hadn't been surprised to learn they were to begin their life as a married couple in his family's cabin.

So they'd gone to Texas and put their own touch on the cabin, basing the foundation of their marriage on the foundation of another successful marriage. And they'd had a glorious time. He'd serenaded her every night with his guitar. He had a wonderful singing voice but so rarely felt comfortable singing with an audience. She fell in love with him a little more each time he sang to her. They'd made love under the stars, spending most of their time wrapped up in each other. As was the right of any honeymooning couple. Then the call had come in-Cobra was planning something big. Duty called and like the good soldiers they were, they had answered.

They couldn't help resent the interruptions that had occurred since returning. The whole team had been present for their wedding and knew their honeymoon had been interrupted. But instead of allowing them the opportunity of settling into their life as a married couple, teammates had bombarded them, it was almost as if they enjoyed interrupting them.

They walked into the control room to find every Joe currently on base waiting for them, including General Hawk. "What's going on?" Duke asked

General Hawk beamed, "We all feel terrible that your honeymoon was cut short so everyone got together to give you all one last wedding present. You can think of it as an early Christmas gift if you like." He presented them with an envelope.

Duke and Scarlett looked at each other and shook their heads, neither knew anything about this. Scarlett opened the envelope and gasped. Her mouth gaping open, she stared at Hawk, "How?" she asked, tears streaming down her face

Duke grabbed the paper she had taken out, he scanned the page rapidly and looked up, shock written on his face, "Two weeks leave? But we just had leave?"

Flint grinned, "It was an organizational nightmare, but everything the two of you have been working on has been shifted to someone else for two weeks. Everyone's pitched in to make it happen. You two are going to finish your honeymoon in peace, we promise."

Flint felt confident in his promise, Cobra would be licking their wounds for a while to come. There wouldn't be any major attacks or plans that would require the personal attention of his friends. He hoped one day they would repay the favor by covering for his honeymoon with Allison, if he could get up the nerve to actually propose.

"Congratulations!" Lady Jaye shouted

Her cry was echoed by the entire assembled Joe team which broke out into a chorus of 'They're jolly good fellows!" The happy couple was surrounded by well wishers and within minutes Roadblock had set up a going away feast that nearly equaled their wedding reception. All that was left for Duke and Scarlett was to pack and pick a destination. Their friends had plenty of suggestions ranging from the comical thought of yurk camping to Torpedo's suggestion of a tropical get away.

Hours later Duke and Scarlett walked arm in arm back to their quarters. "What an incredible gift. So many of our friends are giving up their Christmas leave to make this possible, I don't know how to thank them."

"We go and have a good time. We relax. And remember this the next thousand times we walk in late to a meeting and are greeted with catcalls or I have to reprimand one of those yahoos for playing a practical joke. We just need to pick a destination and get packed. Jaye even mentioned that she and Flint would finish setting up our quarters while we were gone."

They walked into their quarters and plopped down, once again, on the couch. "Conrad…"

She started.

"Hmm….?"

"This will be our first Christmas as a married couple."

"Hey, yeah it will be. We'll have to do something to make it special."

"I have an idea." She said, her voice light and full of hope."

"Oh?"

She climbed in his lap and put her hands on his chest, "I want to go to Ireland, to Shamrock Hill. Our first Christmas in our own house, just the two of us. It'll be wonderful, I just know it will!"

She was so excited, the light in her eyes so bright, how could he deny her anything? Perhaps he had been thinking a tropical beach somewhere-clothing optional, it was after all their honeymoon, but a cozy cottage, the weather outside forbidding, would encourage, would practically demand they spend all their time wrapped up together. He could enjoy that. And she would be over the moon if he agreed. He could ride on this for a long time to come. He smiled, "Okay."

Her eyes lit up even more, like a kid at Christmas, "Really? We can go?"

"Yeah, really." He kissed her hands, "I think it's a great idea." Not really, but a little white lie wasn't going to hurt in the case.

"Yipee!" She shouted and jumped up, pulling him up with her and into a jig. She ended by jumping in his arms and planting kissed all over his face, "I love you, I love you, I love you! You are the greatest man in the entire universe! I am the happiest wife in the whole world!"

She leaned down to kiss him, drawing up the passion that always simmered between them to a roaring flame, sliding intimately down his body and leading him to their bedroom.

Much later Conrad woke and grinned, 'If that was a taste of what's to come I can't wait to get there.' He looked down at his slumbering wife, her head was pillowed on his shoulder; her flame red tresses spread over the white pillowcase. He loved her so much. Ireland was a simple thing to give her. She loved it there, in her little thatched roof cottage with green fields spread all around and the wind bringing teasing hints of the nearby sea. Her mother's family had lived in the village for generations. She was there a day and it was as if she'd been there always, so much a part of the family she was. It was a place she went when she needed to restore her soul, to heal; it was where she'd taken him to heal a few years before after he'd nearly died in battle. It was the first place they had spent time together after saying "I love you." It was a place and time that had cemented their relationship. They'd known after Ireland that they'd marry and spend their lives together.

Ireland was a good place to go. They'd go there and they'd be at home.


	2. Coming Home

Our First Christmas

Chapter 2: Coming Home

Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe.

Conrad stared out his window, watching the sun setting over the city surrounding the Shannon airport. The pilot would land any moment. He glanced over at Shauna. She had been awake up until a few hours ago, brimming with excitement. It was contagious; he was really beginning to look forward to spending Christmas here. It would be interesting to see his wife immerse herself in the Irish culture. Atlanta was home because her family was there but her heart belonged to this country as much as it belonged to America. He wondered if they'd be here long enough for the lilt to come into her voice as it had the last time they'd visited. They'd grown so close then; he hoped the same would hold true for this visit.

He brushed a kiss across her forehead, waking her up. She stretched, "We there?"

"Pilot's about to make his final descent."

"Did you sleep?"

He nodded, "Some. I'm glad you did, you're the one who's going to have to drive all the way to Clare."

She shrugged, "It'll be fine. I've made the trip in the dark plenty of times." She tilted her head to one side, "We're you thinking of last time?" She asked, concerned

"I was, mostly the good times we shared."

"Not what led up to us coming?"

He sighed, wishing she hadn't brought that up, "It crossed my mind a time or two, but no, I wasn't focusing on lost battles, near death experiences, or anything remotely negative. I was thinking how much I'll enjoy spending time with you."

"We did win the battle, you know."

"So you told me."

"You know Christmas is a big deal here, right?"

He laughed, "How could I not, you briefed me the first three hours of the flight. By now the cottage should be cleaned, inside and out, a Christmas cake should have been started weeks ago, we'll need to get a tree, lights, and ornaments as trees are a modern custom and no one has lived in the house since they've become popular. What else?" He pretended to be lost in thought, grinning as she rolled her eyes, "We'll have to make sure there are candles for windows, when we go into town we'll have to get gifts for the family, stockings will be a mix of American and Irish customs, we'll be expected to attend midnight mass, Christmas afternoon supper with the family, soccer games can be watched in the pub on St. Stevens Day, which is the day after, and there's some weird custom involving a group of boys and a wren that sounds suspiciously like Halloween, kids are just soliciting for money rather than candy." He grinned shamelessly, "How I'd do, professor?"

She smacked him hard in the arm, "Oww…" he laughed "If this is going to become habit of yours I'll have to start wearing body armor!"

"Jerk!" she exclaimed, screwing up her face to pretend annoyance

"But you love me anyways."

"Lord help me, but I do."

Later they pulled into the street, which she had reminded her husband earlier was the American equivalent of a driveway. She took a moment to look at the cottage out the windshield, through the dark and rain. The lights were on; her cousin Mica was probably waiting to welcome them home. She always experienced a fierce rush of pride when she returned after being away. This was hers she thought. She hadn't built it with her own hands but she'd cared for it, nurtured it, and in doing so had restored her soul and given herself a place of her own, apart from her father and her brothers. This was all hers and she'd succeeded in making it a home. Now it was a home she would share with a husband.

She looked up at the stars, just starting to shine through the clouds and slowing rain, "I'm home mom, and I brought my husband with me." She grinned, the newly married feeling was still running high in her veins, bringing on bouts of random giddiness when she thought back on her recent marriage.

She smiled, this was going to be the best Christmas of her life, she just knew it. She leaned over and kissed her husband awake. "Hey, we're here."

"Mmm….you know I think I'm good right here." He replied as he returned her kiss.

She grinned as he pulled her closer, "Mmm…maybe you are but if Mica has to watch us make out I think he'll come down and drag you out of the car."

"Hey, he knows we're married. And he liked me well enough before."

She laughed, "Come on, the sooner we go in, the sooner we can thank Mica for opening up the cottage and send him on his way."

"What's he doing here anyway?" Conrad asked, grabbing a bag from the back

"Irish hospitality. All I had to do was call Gran and tell her we were coming. She'll have made sure we were greeted with a whistling tea pot, an open tin of biscuits, and knowing me, breakfast in the fridge."

"Praise be, I don't think I'll be up to a cooking lesson in the morning and I'm relieved I won't have to choose between attempting to teach you to cook and going hungry."

She rolled her eyes, "What are you going to tease me about after I learn to cook?"

He grinned shamelessly, "Considering that's a long way off I've got time to think of something!"

She glared and just shook her head. "For that, I oughta force you to eat my cooking."

"I take it back, I take it back!"

"Will ye be comin' in sometime or standin' out in the cold arguin'?"

"Mica!" Shauna dropped her bag on the muddy ground and leapt into her cousin's waiting arms. He swung her around and then held her tightly.

"Ah, lass, happy I am to be seein' you."

"I've missed you, Mica! I've missed you so much!"

"You're home now."

Conrad grabbed Shauna's bag and stepped into the cozy kitchen and closed the door, "Hey, what about me? Don't I at least get a hello?"

Mica let out a big rolling laugh, "Conrad, it's good to be seein' you as well!" Mica grabbed Conrad in a quick bear hug and slapped him on the back. "I was sorry I couldn't be at the wedding but Gran's been showing the pictures to everyone she can so I almost feel as if I had been there."

"I'm surprised Da hasn't sent the video yet."

"When he does I'm sure Gran will find a way to have it shown in the pub for all the village to see."

"Maybe she'll be content just to see us for herself and know we're happy."

Mica grinned, "Oh, she'll want that as well. She made sure I'd be here when you arrived." He poured tea from a whistling pot and laced it generously with good Irish. "It'll take the chill off. I brought fresh eggs and a tea cake from Kate, Ma brought along enough food to keep you filled for a few days."

Conrad nodded gratefully, "Thanks, and tell your sister and your mother thank you. It should be enough to last us while we settle in. I'm teaching Shauna to cook."

Mica chocked on his tea, "Oh?"

Shauna slapped her cup down, "Why is it that everyone thinks it's such a big deal that I'm learning to cook? Is my cooking really that bad?"

Mica looked at Conrad, "Don't answer that boyo."

"By the time we're finished, Shauna will be a world class cook."

"Oh, ho, does that mean you're telling me you're such a fine cook yourself?"

"A friend of ours is helping out with the lessons, and he is the best chef on the planet."

"Well, we'll see won't we?"

"Mica, don't you have cows that need to be milked or something?"

"Lass, have you been away so long you've forgotten we Irish pride ourselves on our hospitality?" Mica slapped his hand over his heart in a mocking attempt to look wounded

"You are not a guest, Mica, your family. And at the moment, a nuisance."

He stood up, "Fine, fine, I know when I'm not wanted." He brushed her cheek, " 'Night lass, it's good to have you back."

She smiled and hugged him close, "Thank you for the welcome, Mica. We'll see you tomorrow."

Mica grinned, "So soon? And here I was thinking this was your honeymoon?" He ducked as Shauna swatted at him.

They watched from the kitchen window until he was out of sight across the fields, "Will he be okay getting home?"

"Mica's walked from here to his farm since he was a child coming to visit our aunt. He was a favorite of hers."

"So why did you get the cottage and not Mica?"

"Mica has a house at the farm and there is where he's happy. Our aunt wanted to make sure I had a place here among my mother's people so I could come and go as I pleased, remaining part of the family."

"It amazes me that you haven't been here in years and now that your back it's as if no time has passed at all. No awkward moments, no uncomfortableness, just a warm welcome."

"That's Ireland & that's family. You're part of it now."

He hugged her close, "I'm glad." She yawned and he chuckled, "It's been a long day. Longer for you since insisted on driving the whole way."

She snuggled close, "I've made the trip plenty of times in the rain and dark. You haven't and you're not used to driving on the wrong side of the road."

He picked her up, "Maybe I didn't remember exactly how to get here…but I do remember how to get to the bedroom."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"So what are you waiting on?" She pressed her lips against his and sighed, "Suddenly I don't feel so tired."

He kissed her again as he walked up the stairs, "No?"

"No. I'm actually beginning to feel quite energized."

"Well, let's put the new found energy to good use."

"Mmm…what did you have in mind?"

"Why don't I show I you?"

They made love by firelight and drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.


	3. Approval

Our First Christmas

Chapter 3: Approval

Disclaimer: I do not own GI JOE.

Conrad woke to the dawn streaming through a crack in the curtains. It looked like the rain would hold off for a while. He smiled to himself; the sun was shining on Shauna's hair, making it glow like fire. Was it possible to fall in love with his wife a little more each time he woke up with her tucked into his side? It seemed like his heart tumbled again each morning, happily. There was a chill in the air. The fire had burnt out sometime during the night. He shifted slowly, hoping to slide out of bed and get the fire going again without waking her up. No luck.

She glanced up at her husband and smiled, "Good morning Mr. Hauser."

He grinned, "Good morning, Mrs. Hauser."He doubted he would ever get tired of greeting her like that. He'd had to wait long enough for the right. He dropped a kiss on her bare shoulder.

She smiled at him, utterly besotted, and reached to tilt his head for a kiss. She wiggled closer as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head beside hers on the pillow. He wanted this moment, this peaceful moment where he had his wife all to himself, to last forever.

She shifted, trying to get even closer to her husband. She had never been happier that he put off heat like a furnace, but she was still cold. She shivered slightly; despite the fact her husband was warm and wrapped around her. He dropped a kiss on her cheek and climbed out of bed to restart the fire. He tucked the quilts around her tightly.

"Tell me again why we're using peat bricks instead of wood logs?"

"There's a peat bog on Mica's land. It's already there and it belongs to the family. Why chop down a perfectly good tree when you've got something else you can use?"

"Mmph." He made a sound of general agreement. It was a little early to get into a discussion on anything. He stood and stretched, oblivious to his wife's eager stare.

"Conrad?"

"Mmm?"

"I'm getting cold."

"I just started the fire. It'll heat up in a minute."

"You need to come back to warm me up."

He looked away from the fire and found his wife staring, "Hmm…you're right. It wouldn't do for you to get too cold." He climbed into bed and pulled her close again. 'Two weeks of waking up like this.' He thought, 'I can't wait.'

They took a shower together after they woke up. They dressed and were discussing breakfast options when Conrad's phone rang. Shauna let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was his family and not base. She slipped quietly downstairs and put the tea on to brew while she rummaged around in the kitchen for omelet makings. Between Conrad and Roadblock she had mastered a few simple meals, omelets and toast among them. She shook her head as she took out a pan, how she had survived this long on her cooking was beyond her.

Conrad smiled when he saw his wife cooking breakfast. Eggs she could handle fine on her own but helping would give him an excuse to hold her in his arms. He planted a kiss on the side of her cheek as he wrapped his arms around her, "Need some help?"

She grinned, "Actually, no, I passed omelet making 101 with flying colors."

He stepped closer, "Sure?" he whispered in her ear, sending shivers racing down her spine

"Well…you could supervise, just in case I forget something."

"I'm good at supervising."

"You're good at a lot of things. But if we don't behave breakfast will burn."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It is when we have limited supplies."

"I thought Mica stocked the pantry."

"Mica doesn't have a clue how much you eat in a day."

"So we have to go into the village for supplies?"

"We have to go see Gran regardless; while we're in the village we may as well do some shopping. It's not that many days until Christmas and I still need to get a few gifts."

"Do we need to call your grandmother or just drop by?"

"We'll be expected for tea."

They spent the time between breakfast and tea puttering around the house, unpacking clothes into the old dresser and armoire. The house had been built before closets were standard. The house was old, seriously old. He knew she was proud of how she was taking care of her heritage and made a mental note to speak with Mica about doing a thorough inspection of the house and foundation. He frowned, wondering what they had used for a foundation. The house was built from local stone, the roof was thatched and the door and window trims were painted a bright green. The paint had been touched up recently. He couldn't fault the builders, they had obviously taken pride in their work and had intended for this structure to stand when he and Shauna had grandchildren running around the place.

That thought stopped him in his tracks. Grandchildren? Grandchildren would mean children. He hadn't really thought of it but they were married now. They both wanted a family someday but someday had always seemed so far away. He guessed it wasn't so far away any more. They weren't ready yet… but someday. He smiled, getting into the thought. Someday Shauna would carry their child; a little boy with his blond hair or maybe a little girl with her mother's scarlet locks.

She walked in the bedroom to find her husband staring absently at the wall. "Thinking deep thoughts or just trying to figure out what to wear to see Gran?" she asked with a bemused expression on her face

He shook his head, jerking out of his musings, "Huh?"

She put her arms around him from behind, "What were you thinking about?" She rested her head against his back

"Oh, just thinking about the future." He placed his hands over her smaller ones

"Close future or far off?"

"Hmph. Not that far off any more."

"Care to elaborate?"

He shook his head, "Nope, we'll miss tea with your Gran and she'll have Mica string me up alive."

Shauna laughed, "She doesn't need Mica for that."

"Your grandmother is fairly old in case you didn't notice last time." Old crone came to mind but he'd never voice that aloud. Besides, even if Gran looked like an old crone and could have the temperament of one, she could also be incredibly loving, especially towards her favorite granddaughter.

"Gran may be old but there's not a whole lot she can't do. She just lives with my aunt and uncle because she decided it was time for somebody to take care of her for a change."

"Think she'll be impressed I've learned Gaelic?" He held up two dress shirts for her to choose from

Shauna laughed, "Honey, you've learned some Gaelic, but you're a long way from being fluent." She chose the green and blue check, "Save the red one for Christmas day, it's more festive."

He quirked an eyebrow, "You're not going to deck me out in antlers or anything, are you?"

She slipped into a pair of nice flats, "Probably not. But you never know!" She kissed him quick on the cheek and raced downstairs before he could comment.

"Come on, we'll be late!" she hollered up the stairs

He saluted his reflection in the mirror, "Sergeant, You've lead soldiers into battle, faced down the enemy bare-handed, and successfully won the hand of the woman you love, seeing your wife's aging grandmother again should be nothing."

He sighed, "Yeah, right. At least she can't undo the marriage." He was beyond delighted at the moment that they had been married in the Catholic Church. No way could her grandmother undo that. Still, He wished they had time to stop at a florist before tea.

Gran lived with her middle daughter, Shauna's Aunt Mary, in the local village. He resisted fidgeting on the short drive. 'What's the problem, Hauser? She's just one little old lady. Hmph. One little old lady who had given Shauna her trademark feistiness.'

Shauna gave him a squeeze just before she knocked on the door, "Don't worry. She liked you the last time you were here."

"She only met me twice the last time I was here. I married you in America, without her present; she may have a problem with that."

Shauna narrowed her eyes, "Have you been talking to my brother Frank? Did he put that ridiculous idea in your head?"

Just then the door opened and a kind looking woman embraced Shauna in a hug. Oh, lass you've come back home, finally! Let me look at you. " She pulled away from Shauna and tears welled up in her eyes, "You look so much like you're mother!"

An older voice called out from the nearby parlor, "Mary, don't let them stand out in the cold all the damn day! I want to see my granddaughter!"

Mary rolled her eyes, "They're coming, ma." She turned to welcome Conrad and lead them into the parlor, "I'll be Shauna's Aunt Mary and you must be the find Yank she married. Patrick's had nothing but good things to say about you! We've all been looking forward to seein' you again. Your visit seemed so short last time."

He smiled and nodded as that seemed to be all that was required to keep Aunt Mary happy. He didn't mention that he'd been in Ireland with Shauna nearly a month the one and only time they'd previously met. It was just that he'd been recovering from injuries and had barely made it to the mailbox and back the first two weeks they'd been here.

"Well lad, come closer so I can get a good look at you." Gran commanded

"Mrs. O'Connell, it's a pleasure to meet you again." He greeted her in Gaelic as he stepped closer and smiled as charmingly as he could as he offered his hand.

She ignored it for a moment, looking him up and down and nodding before accepted his hand with a squeeze. "You're Irish needs some work. But…You're still as handsome a devil as I remember you being! Remind me of my Jacob, you do, God rest his soul." Her mouth cracked in a smile, "Aye, you'll for my Shauna, you'll do."

Conrad was so relieved he'd passed inspection he practically collapsed on the sofa next to Shauna. She reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Mary, that damn tea pot isn't whistling yet!"

"I'll see what the matter is, ma." She beamed at Conrad as she walked out the door

"Now, lad, fetch me that red album on the shelf."

She latched onto his hand as he handed her the album. She flipped through the pages until she found an old black and white wedding picture. "That's my Jacob standing with me in front of Shauna's cottage the day we married. 'Course it wasn't her cottage yet. It was my sister's at the time." She sighed, "One of the happiest days of my life."

She looked up at Conrad, and he nodded, "Yes, ma'am, I understand the feeling." He smiled at Shauna. Their eyes met and held. And for a moment they were alone in the world.

Shauna's grandmother laughed, the sound coming out disturbingly like a cackle, "Aye, my fine lad, you'll do."

Tea passed uneventfully after that, with Conrad attempting to eat as much cake as Gran and Mary gave him. Gran nodded knowingly the whole time, 'Just like my Jacob, he was ever one for a slice of cake.'

They finally left with promises to visit Christmas day, an extra tea cake and a tin of biscuits, which were actually cookies. They were good, regardless of what they were called.

They drove on to the closest city and started their shopping, finishing up back in the village with a tree, decorations, and groceries. They had dinner at the pub and Conrad met Shauna's cousin Kate, Mica's sister, who was the pub cook. By the time they escaped the pub they had barely enough energy climb up the stairs and fall into bed.


	4. Time to Ourselves

Our First Christmas

Chapter 4: Time to Ourselves

Disclaimer: I do not own GI JOE.

Shauna woke to the sound of rain beating on the roof; pelting the windows. She turned over and peeped out the curtains. It was past dawn but the skies were so gray and heavy it was still dark. She sighed, hoping the rain would stay heavy all day. It was December 23, two days before Christmas, and by golly she wanted some alone time with her husband! This whole trip was supposed to be guaranteed to give them privacy, their own house, a nearby village they could venture to when their supplies ran low, a local pub in which to listen to music, eat, and enjoy others company _if_ so desired. And relatives that knew they were on their honeymoon and did not want to be disturbed.

That had been her mistake. Christmas was a busy time in Ireland. It was a major religious holiday and there was a lot of tradition and ceremony that went into the season. Her relatives had cleaned the house before they arrived, a sort of gift. But they had seen no reason not to include her and her new husband in the tradition of visiting friends around the holiday. She'd counted on them following tradition and visiting _after_ Christmas, but that hadn't held true. In fact, they'd barely had a day to themselves the entire time they'd been here. She was seriously considering driving down the coast somewhere and finding a nice Bed & Breakfast to check into. The only problem with that was privacy. There wouldn't be much more privacy in a B & B than they currently had. They could drive up the coast and rent a cottage. They'd have to do their own cooking but they were doing that now anyways and privacy was guaranteed. The thought had some appeal.

"You're thinking too loud." Her husband's sleepy voice called quietly

"I wasn't thinking out loud was I?" she asked, slightly embarrassed

"I'm your husband. I can read your mind."

She started laughing hysterically. "Just because you're my husband does not mean you can read my mind."

He turned over on his back and opened his eyes, "I'll prove it. You were thinking about how your well-meaning, and by well-meaning I really mean nosy, relatives will not leave us alone-and that my idea of escaping to a tropical island was the better of the two ideas."

She dropped her eyes to the bed sheets, "Not bad. Maybe you should join the physic network."

He gently grabbed her chin and tilted her face up, "You're wrong."

She tilted her head and wrinkled her nose, "What do you mean? We haven't had a moment's peace since we got here."

"I've officially met and made peace with your grandmother. You've visited with all your relatives and reestablished that precious link that all too often gets lost in the everyday business of living.

"Tomorrow we're going to Midnight Mass at the church your mother grew up in, surrounded by your extended family, who love us both, and Christmas day we'll have dinner with your family. After that, Mica swears they'll leave us alone. They've missed you Shauna and you've enjoyed visiting with every single relative that's stopped by for tea."

"But this is supposed to be our honeymoon."

"Babe, we started our honeymoon close to my dad's family in Texas because I see them about once every ten years and for once we actually had time to visit for more than a day. It was important to me to let them get to know you, it was important for your family here to get to know me. Family is important to both of us. And this has been a once in a lifetime opportunity. Can you promise your grandmother you'd be with her for Christmas some year in the future?"

"No." she said softly, "Thank you for understanding. But I wish…"

He smiled, "That we'd had more time alone? Me too. It looks like we'll have all day today and tomorrow if that rain keeps up. It's a rare opportunity we have the opportunity to spend Christmas with family. We should enjoy it like the gift it was indeed to be. After Christmas I'll put a new lock on the door, we'll close the curtains, and pretend we're not home."

She rested her forehead against his and laced her palms with his, "Sounds good to me."

"Do you know what my favorite rainy day activity is?"

"No, what?"

"Making love to my wife."

"Oh, well let me see if I can find her." He cut off her laughter with a kiss. She relaxed into her husband's arms and let go of all her worries.

The rain kept up all day. They decorated the house with holly and mistletoe, taking plenty of time to enjoy each other as the day went on. They found an old manger scene in the attic and put it out in the parlor. They cooked a light lunch together and then finished decorating the tree. She tuned in traditional music on the radio and taught Conrad a few basic steps for the jig and the reel. They danced until they were breathless before collapsing on the rug by the fire. They held each other for a while, listening to the rain beat on the roof, enjoying a stillness and calm never found on base.

They cooked again for dinner and ate a simple fare of corned beef, potatoes, and, vegetables in the parlor before the fire. After dinner they washed dishes, humming to radio. Shauna rummaged and found a bottle of wine. She carried it back into the parlor to find her husband tuning his guitar.

"Oh, you're going to play!"

He looked up and smiled, "I figured it was a good night for it. You taught me some dance steps this afternoon, maybe I can teach you another tune this evening."

She sat down beside him in front of the fire. She let the warmth seep through her as she sipped her wine. "As I recall, the last time you tried to teach me a tune I spent a lot of time in your arms but not a lot of time learning to play the guitar."

He grinned wickedly, "Who says this time will be any different?"

She rolled her eyes, "Play some thing for me."

They had turned off all the lights so the fire cast flickering shadows across the room. The heat from the fire warmed their backs. He sang to her as he played, and soon she put down her wine and closed her eyes, getting lost in the moment. She couldn't think of a single more romantic gesture he could make than serenading her in front of a warm fire. He sang contemporary love songs, old country western songs, and ended with a few Irish tunes Mica had taught him earlier in the week. He sang until his voice gave out, sipped some wine, and sang some more. Music was a simple thing he could give her, but it came from his heart and he knew it meant more to her than any object he could buy.

When his voice gave out all together he pulled her in front of him and placed her fingers on the strings. He guided her through a slow, beautiful Irish tune he had learned the last time they were here. Eventually they spent more time looking at each other than trying to play so the guitar was set aside and she pulled him gently to the rug. They made love slowly, taking their time, a luxury they didn't always have. They banked the fire and left their clothes on the floor. He carried her upstairs and they made love again, falling asleep in each other's arms.

She slipped quietly out of bed the next morning, Christmas Eve, and made breakfast. Omelets again, but it was something she could cook successfully by herself and something he enjoyed eating. Since he was still asleep when she was finished she slipped back up the stairs and into the room. Putting the breakfast tray on the nightstand, she leaned over to kiss him awake.

"Mmm…good morning, Mrs. Hauser."

"Good morning, Mr. Hauser." She smiled; he got such a kick out calling her 'Mrs. Hauser.'

He sniffed the air, "Do I smell eggs?"

"Yes, you do." She grinned and gathered up a forkful of eggs in offering

He opened his mouth and chewed cautiously. They tasted delicious, warm and spicy from the sausage she'd added. Yep, he was proud to say she could make a nearly perfect omelet. He'd have to tell Roadblock when they returned to base. Realization dawned with the third forkful of eggs, "You made me breakfast in bed!"

She laughed at his surprised, "Well, you did say I didn't need any help making eggs."

"Yeah, but I don't think anyone's ever made me breakfast and brought it to me in bed."

She quirked an eyebrow, "Anyone?"

"Well, no one besides my mother. Even then, I'd have to be too sick to make it downstairs."

"Well, who knows, you might actually be lucky enough to find someone who loves you enough to want to pamper you on occasion."

"Yeah?" he asked hopefully, "Like a wife?"

"Like a wife. But the key word was occasionally."

He grinned like a fool, "I'll take it."

They spent the day quietly, much like the day before. They separated in the early afternoon long enough to wrap gifts and place them under the tree. Shauna commandeered a pair of Conrad's socks for stockings and hung them at the end of the bed, as was custom in Ireland. They napped late in the afternoon and when they woke up they ate a light dinner. After a lot of laughter and more than a little frustration, Shauna mastered the Irish melody Conrad had begun teaching her the night before and even moved on to learn a few simple Christmas tunes, putting them both in the spirit of the season. The day went by much faster than either wanted and before long it was time to get dressed for church.

Conrad surveyed the few dress shirts he had hanging in the wardrobe. He hadn't brought that many and hadn't done laundry either. Hmmm. "Hey, Shauna, what do I need wear? Not a suit or anything, I hope!"

He could hear her laughing from the bathroom, "You don't own a suit!"

"I do, too!"

She came to the bathroom door, "One that actually fits?"

"Hey, wow…you look great!" He took a moment to let his gaze wander. That was another perk about being married; he could look as intently as he wanted for as long as he wanted, because she was his. She had curled her hair slightly and it floated loosely around her shoulders. She had her makeup done and was wearing a green dress and heels for the occasion. It was a rare opportunity to see her dressed up and she looked so beautiful his heart skipped a beat. He wondered if she had packed a camera. He couldn't remember packing one in their rush to get off base while they had the chance.

She smiled and walked forward to kiss his cheek, "Thanks." She turned and inspected his remaining clean shirts. She'd told him to leave the red for Christmas day so that left two choices. She held out a dark blue shirt, "This one. Do you need the bathroom? I can finish my hair out here."

She grabbed her hair pins and brush from the bathroom and walked back out, stopping before an old fashioned dresser. She looked up and found her husband staring at her reflection. "Hey, get moving; we need to leave in a few minutes."

"Will you wear something special for me?" he asked her

Her mouth flew open in shock, "Conrad Hauser, we are about to go to church! Don't ask me something like that just before Mass!" She rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to her reflection in the mirror. She put a couple hairpins between her teeth and another in her hand as she pulled her hair back loosely from her face with a clip. She tacked down loose hair with the pins before turning from side to side to judge her handiwork.

He came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, "You're beautiful."

She smiled softly in the mirror, "Thank you."

He reached in the drawer in front of her and pulled out handed her a brightly wrapped package, slightly larger than his hand. "Merry Christmas."

Her face lit up, "Conrad, it's not Christmas yet."

He brushed his thumb across her check, "Indulge me, open one gift before we go to church."

"Well, if you insist." She grinned

He kissed her briefly, "I insist."

She unwrapped the gift slowly, savoring the moment. She looked up questioningly as she uncovered a large jewelry box.

"Open it."

She bit her lip and she opened the box and gasped as a set of pearl earrings and a necklace glowed in the light. "Oh…" was all she could say, tears running down her face, "They're beautiful!"

He took the necklace from the box and slipped open the clasp, laying them gently on her neck before sliding the clasp closed. She brought her hand up to touch them, running her fingers gently over the smooth, luminous pearls as they grew slightly larger until she reached the center pearl.

She met his reflection in the mirror, his face shining with joy. He couldn't have imagined a better reaction. "I love you, Shauna."

She turned around and threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. "I know, and I'm so happy. I think if I were any happier I'd burst!"

He laughed, "If you burst, what I will tell your family?"

"That I died a happy and well loved woman."

"Sounds good, but if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer to keep you around a little longer."

"Ditto. Oh I can't wait to show these to Aunt Mary. And Gran. And Kate. And...everyone. Oh, I have to call Ashlynn." She turned to look for her phone.

He laughed and stopped her, "Church, remember."

"You still have to finish getting dressed."

"5 minutes. Do you trust me to drive?"

"Yes. Do you remember how to get there?"

"Yep." He actually finished getting ready in three. He helped her into her coat and they were off. He realized she wasn't the only one anticipating the service ahead.


	5. Moments

Our First Christmas

Chapter 5: Moments

Disclaimer: I do not own GI Joe.

They arrived only a few moments before the service began. They walked in, crossing the old wooden floors to the sanctuary. Shauna's family was already seated in one of the wooden pews. He helped Shauna out of her coat and guided her into the pew next to her Gran. Conrad smiled warmly in greeting, feeling more than a bit smug as Gran admired Shauna's pearls. Kate's eyes widened in delighted shock; she caught his gaze and winked.

He discovered that Mass in Ireland was pretty much the same as Mass in Shauna's church in Atlanta. It had been a while since he'd actually been in church on Christmas Eve. That was just something that had come along with a position of command; he'd generally be working or overseas around the holidays. It was a rare gift to be with family on Christmas. The service was conducted in Gaelic and he found the words soothing. He followed Shauna's lead, standing when she stood, kneeling and bowing his head when she did. Everything about the church had a comfortable, lived in feeling and he wondered how many generations of Shauna's family had attended service here in this quaint chapel. When the church began to sing he felt moved and more in touch with the season than he could recall being in a long while. Was it this place? Did Ireland work some sort of magic over the visitor? Was it Shauna? Some combination of the two? He didn't know but he found himself uttering a silent "Thank you" under his breath. Shauna slipped her arm in his and leaned close, resting her head on his shoulder. He moved his arm to wrap around her, holding her close.

She leaned up a whispered, "Merry Christmas" in his ear. He realized the service was over kissed her briefly on the cheek, not quite sure how much affection he was allowed to show at that the moment. He moved to help Gran up.

"Well, lad, what did you think?"

"The service was very nice; I enjoyed it and even understood a good bit."

"Mmph. I see you gave Shauna an early gift."

"Yes, I did. I wanted her to have something nice to wear."

"You mean you wanted to show off, stake your claim."

"I already staked my claim, I married her-in a catholic church in front of God, family, and witnesses."

Gran nodded, "Good to know you can be feisty when you need to be. She deserves those pearls. She's precious and you be sure to remember that, lad."

"Yes ma'am, every day for the rest of my life."

"That's fine then, you can walk me out to the car. Mary! Quick now, no need to stand around running your mouth, you'll see them all this afternoon!"

Shauna kissed her grandmother's cheek and rolled her eyes when Conrad guided her out of the pew and down the aisle.

Kate stopped beside her, "Well, he's a fine lad, putting up with Gran; knows just how to deal with her. Alright now, let me see them!"

Shauna grinned wildly and turned her head so Kate could see the earrings as well as the necklace.

"Well, he's got good taste! They're gorgeous! Does he have a brother?"

"Yes, but he's taken, and even less likely to give a girl pearls than his older brother."

"Likely or not, you've got them around your neck. How do they feel?"

Shauna closed her eyes, "Like silk, like I'm the luckiest woman in the world, like my husband loves me more than he could possibly express…."

Kate nodded, "In that case, you should go home and thank him properly. I'll see you this afternoon for Christmas dinner."

They walked outside, hugged, and parted.

"Ready?" Conrad asked, holding out his arm

"Absolutely!"

She snuggled close as they drove home and reluctantly separated long enough to dash through the cold from the car to the house.

"Well, it's Christmas. Do you want to open any more gifts tonight or wait until morning?" He asked as they walked upstairs to change

"Technically it's after midnight and is already morning. But no, I don't want to unwrap any more gifts right now.

"No?" He paused at the top of the stairs and grinned slyly, "What do you want to do then?"

She put her palms flat against his chest and slowly drew them up and around his neck, "I want to thank you properly for my gift."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, "Yeah? I think that's a great idea."

They woke up snuggled in each other's arms, just as they had every other morning of their vacation. They rummaged through their stockings and then went downstairs to open gifts in front of the fire. They spent some quiet time together before making breakfast and getting ready to go to Aunt Mary's house for Christmas supper.

Aunt Mary's was filled to the brim with family. They'd enjoyed a marvelous feat of ham, stuffing, roast potatoes, and gravy. They had Christmas pudding with brandy butter and cream and triffle for desert. He ate so much he could barely move. They'd already called their families but they'd left calling base for later. He'd have to tell Roadblock everything he could remember about the glorious feast.

Later they all gathered in the parlor to visit. Gran held the newest addition to the family, Aunt Mary's youngest daughter's new baby. He thought she made a fairly ridiculous picture, cooing and making faces at the baby who just gurgled in response. She kept casting stern looks in his direction and he escaped before she could force the baby on him. Geez, he had just barely managed to get married to Shauna, now the old woman wanted another great-grandchild? Didn't she have enough?

Mica slapped him on the back, "Come on, boy-o, let's grab another Guinness."

"I'm with you." He followed Mica back into the kitchen.

"How long before ye have t' go back?"

"About a week. Shauna's thinking about heading up or down to coast, hoping for a little more privacy."

"It is your honeymoon. We've enjoyed having the both of you here, though. And you'll both be missed when ye head back."

Conrad raised his bottle in salute, "Thanks."

"I may have a good excuse for the two of ye to leave Clare a bit early."

"Oh?"

"Heard of the love stone?"

Conrad shook his head, "No. What is it?"

"Exactly that-a love stone. It's in Kildare. It's also called the Marriage Rock. Celtic tradition says it offers good fortune and a blessing of your love for any couple who use it."

"A rock brings good fortune to our marriage?"

"It's Ireland, lad, don't be so skeptical. This is how it works. The couple sits down on either side of rock, they put their hands through the center hole, if they were getting' married they'd exchange rings but it's for married couples as well. The circular stone represents the continuity of love and the hope that your love will last forever. I've friends who went to the Marriage Rock and had their marriage blessed, it's been five years now and they couldn't be happier. If you don't believe in the lore it's at least an valid excuse to leave. An excuse even Gran will understand and accept."

"Hmm…Thanks Mica, I'll talk it over with Shauna."

"Talk what over with me?" Shauna asked as she walking in the kitchen, smiling

"I'll tell you when we're home." He opened his arms and she walked into them, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning up to kiss him.

Mica grinned, "I'll just let the two of you be alone for a minute."

Shauna rolled her eyes, "Just you wait, Mica, it'll be your turn soon enough."

"We'll see…" Mica shook his head as he left the room

Conrad and Shauna were quiet for a moment, enjoying the peace of the kitchen. Something caught Conrad's eye and he looked up and grinned. "Hey, look outside, it's starting to snow."

"It is?" She ran to the window and looked out, "It is! It is! I wonder if it'll stick? Hey, everybody, look out the window!"

Shauna and Conrad went back into the parlor with the family. They all looked out the window and made bets on what would happen. Would the snow stick to the ground? How deep would it get? The kids didn't care; they ran out and immediately started to enjoy the light snowfall. Conrad and Shauna exchanged a glance and nodded, deciding they'd been with family long enough.

They said their goodbyes and left, the snow still falling but only sticking to the grass alongside the road. They made coffee when they home and sipped it quietly by the fire, watching the snow fall softly outside the window, turning the world still and peaceful.

Shauna leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek, "Conrad, this is the best Christmas I've ever had. Thank you."

He set their mugs down and took her face gently in his hands, "I love you, Shauna Hauser, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Conrad." They snuggled together in front of the fire and turned their attention to each other, enjoying the peace and quiet, and the time they had together.


End file.
